Organisations condemn report on adult prostitution

Organisations condemn report on adult prostitution

TMG Digital | 2017-05-26 18:15:49.0

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Two organisations are dismayed that the sex work will remain a criminal activity.

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and the Sex Workers Education & Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) “expressing disappointment” at the South African Law Reform Commission’s (SALRC) report on laws and adult prostitution released by the justice department on Friday.

And SWEAT believes the release of the report is department of justice “scrambling to salvage their reputation” for having done nothing to deal with the recent violence against women.

The SALC report has been lying on the justice ministry’s desk since 2014 and hundreds of sex workers have died since then.

AHF and SWEAT want sex work to be decriminalised and that the government should “put citizens at the heart of legislation”‚ says Larissa Klazinga‚ AHF’s manager for Southern Africa.

“Sex work is work and‚ as such‚ sex workers deserve the same rights and protections as every other citizen.”

AHF condemned the SALC report for ignoring public health research and human rights.

“The report is yet another example of state systems failing to address violence against women and not listen to evidence and the voices of women‚” Klazinga added.

Criminalisation costs lives – sex workers are made vulnerable to abuse‚ murder‚ illness and human rights violations‚ according to AHF.

Hilary Thulare‚ programme director for AHF Southern Africa‚ says the criminalisation of sex work is driving new HIV infections. “The criminalisation of sex work reinforces stigma and makes it more difficult for sex workers to access treatment.”